Me and my partner are in need of a very professional looking website design, and while he can ask someone at his company, we'd like another alternative. Since we at the present time don't want to outright pay somebody for the design, we were trying to find some volunteers on a forum we are involved in (and later give them pay, % of profits, something like that) but I figured I might as well start to learn.

So what programs do you use to create layouts? And how exactly do you do them? I know that sounds so stupid, but I assume Photoshop is used, but how do you create shapes, etc?

Any info would be great, thanks!

Photoshop is a fantastic program, but not for web design persay, photoshop is more of graphical software and although it has the features to create code it is only as an extra and doesn't do it very well. Dreamweaver is more suited to code layout and css and also fireworks all can be linked to provide the best results.

Is there any decent, free program similar to Dreamweaver that can be used to at least get the layouts and basic design that you know of?

You can hand code it with a program like crimson editor. While that may sound difficult, it provides the best way to learn how to code. It also gives you more control over your code. I pretty much do all my coding my hand nowadays, but still use Dreamweaver as a good way to get a general preview of what I am doing.

Well ,

I have started with photoshop then later on went on tablet pc. Now only for hobby i draw 3d graphics with maya or 3dmax..

Photoshop is though much useful on giving you web layouts just use your imagination.. :)

I always start with fireworks and design the layout and graphics. I get very detailed here and spend the most time.
Then I code out a basic xhtml structure in bbedit. It includes the typical sections like header, navbar, content, sidebars, footer, etc. I fill the xhtml with either filler text or php code for cms. I generally save these xhtml structures as templates for later use as all websites pretty much have the same structure.
Once I have done this, I start coding CSS in my css editor. I code for FF and fix with css comments for ie. I start with the top and work my way down through the xhtml code. Many people have many different ways of ordering their css. For me, a top-to-bottom approach works best.

In all cases, I don't use any wysisyg editors. I code all by hand. I used to use dreamweaver before css came along and coded using tables. Since css, I've learned to code by hand both css and the xhtml and have learned a lot from the experience. I'm still learning every day and I find it challenging to conquer new problems using only css and no javascript or other technology. I try to stick to xhtml/css/php for my sites.

Re: the dreamweaver comment... You can download Expression Web for 60 days to test. Nvu is another free WYSIWYG editor.

For design ... any graphic app You like.
I prefeer photoshop (but i used GimpShop too) ...
Then You need an idea... set some guidelines which will help You organise everything ... start "drawing". But when drawing - You have to have future xHTML/CSS in mind (not everything can be easly and clearly done using proper xHTML/CSS).
And here xHTML/CSS knowlage comes out. You have to know something. Think about optimal size of future layout. You can;t overload it using lot of graphic... not everyone have 10Mbps internet connection ... there are ppl with 512kbps or something like this - for them layout with ~1MB graphic can be to much ... next thing is that 1-2MB pages can kill your bandwith :)

About coding ... I don't recommend any WYSIWYG editors ... I prefeer to write all my code myself ... I like to have control and know what I'm doing.

Every designer is diffrent (and that's good because we have lot of layouts in different style) and You have to find your own way to this proffesion :)

Photoshop CS3 but there is a learning curve. Depends on what you are trying to do though. Gimp can work for some basic things.

Photoshop with some illustrator work thrown in perhaps. Then taken into dreamweaver to code it up.

I use Notpad to design web pages. So I write all of the html codes manually :) Yes, this maybe hard thing for most people. But it's more easy and funny and clean work for me.

1) Paper and Pencil
2) Photoshop
3) Smultron Text Editor (For Mac)
4) FF/IE/Opera/Safari to test
5) Delivered

:)

Is there any decent, free program similar to Dreamweaver that can be used to at least get the layouts and basic design that you know of?

Web Designing was once foreign to me, as well. I'd recommend, based on being free-based & easy-to-use, the Mozilla HTML Composer. Not only does it automatically code everything for you, it is VERY easy to use if you are a beginner at such tasks. Hell, I even use it on some projects, just because it is so simple and saves alot of hassle.

You'll have to download the free Mozilla Suite (http://www.mozilla.org/products/mozilla1.x/) in order to use the Composer. Once installed, goto Window -> Composer (CTRL+4) and you can then begin. THIS (http://www.thesitewizard.com/gettingstarted/mozillacomposer1.shtml) was the fastest, easiest, and best tutorial I could find online for understanding and using MC; best of luck with your projects. Holler if you need further assistance.

One of the free graphics program you can use for Layouts is Inkscape @ it's a Vector program however so slicing doesn't come easy but you can ease your fears of it by having a go at this tutorial http://screencasters.heathenx.org/2007/04/ Episode 016 is what you are looking for.
Good luck mate !

I generally use photoshop to design my images and flash to make animation. I use AI for making logos.